Vane holders for vertical blinds



March 17, 1964 A. s. wooDLE 3,125,154

.VANE HOLDERS FOR VERTICAL BLINDS Filed April 1o, 1962 2 sheets-sheet 1 -vll/lll ALLAN S. WOGDLE ATTORNEY March 17, 1964 A. s.wooD1.E 3,125,154

VANE HOLDERS FOR VERTICAL BLINDS Filed April 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v l A /////////////z/////////fff a E LT.: 3y 36 j y l z /f l y/ I 1 g f 1 I BB l l/ 35;/ l l Y v cc -P as ff Do /l j 1 l 7 M :y f ##36 I o V /l l ooj L2'8 INVENTOR ALLAN s. woonLE BYU ATTORNEY United States Patent C) Generically, the invention relates to vertical blinds, specifically it encompasses improvements in suspension means for said constructions.

In the art of vertical blinds employed for all kinds of windows and walls, the cloth or metal vanes must be removed and cleaned from time to time in order to keep the rooms fresh-looking. It requires considerable time to remove the vanes from the vane holders conventionally used and a principal object of my invention is a holder or clip Which can be instantly removed from the vane with virtually no effort. Another object is` a Vane holder which can be molded of man-made materials such as nylon, Teiion, Delron and other man-made materials at minimum cost, yet have the durability, flexibility and mobility required. A third object is that my vane holder can be employed in conjunction with varying widths of vane.

Still another object is the provision of a suspension assembly which sustains the vane efliciently, permits facile traversing movement along the tracks, and when the blind is extended, permits rotation and complete closing of the vanes.

These and other objects will be manifest after the speciication unfolds.

Briefly described, one embodiment of my invention encompasses a vane holder including a horizontally disposed base or back having a pair of spaced apart lower depending arms in parallelism below the base on one side, the lower ends of the arms abruptly angled inwardly to form a pair of flanges. Beneath the base on the opposite side is a single depending arm positioned about midway between the pair of arms but on the other side of and also beneath the base. Extending upwardly from the base is an integral post having an enlarged top which may be channeled near the top to impart resiliency and on the post is mounted a centrally bored semispherical bushing. On opposite corners or top of the base are a pair of integrally formed studs also having enlarged heads.

A second preferred embodiment of my vane holder includes the same basic construction as the foregoing with the central upstanding vertical post being made of slightly greater length. I have interposed a spring between the bushing and a washer which is juxtaposed the enlarged head of the post and this vane holder may be utilized in the lower track of a vertical blind to keep the vanes in tight,'marshalled condition. I may employ a conical spring and eliminate the washer.

A third preferred embodiment includes the same basic details as the first and second embodiments except that it is devoid of the vertical post.

My improved vane holder is illustrated in the drawings in one form of vertical blinds but it is to be understood that they may be used in a variety of other kinds of vertical blinds for varied purposes of window covering, room dividers, or any kind of decorative wall use. Broadly, I comprehend their use for all kinds of free-hanging blinds as well as those in which the vanes are under tension.

In the drawings: Y

FIG. 1 is an exploded View of my vane holder or clip with a metal vertical louvre or blind showing one kind of vane which can be sustained.

FIG. 2 is a section View on lines 2f-2 of FIG. 6 of one of my vane holders with a fabric vane inkclosed position.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a vane holder employed ICC in the bottom track of a Vertical blind installation, with the vane in open position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary View of a free-hanging blind with a cloth vane held at the bottom with one of my vane holders devoid of the central post.

FIG. 5 is a section View through 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partial front elevational View of an installation utilizing my vane holder or clip, with the vanes shown in open and closed position.

With reference to the drawings, marshalled below are the Various numbered parts in the specification and it is to be understood that like numbers denote like parts, and the invention may be variously referred to as a holder or clip:

5-one embodiment of vane holder or clip l-a second embodiment 6-base or back of holder 7-top of base S-bottom of base 9-side walls 1lb-end walls ll-arms in parallelism l2-inturned flanges on arms 11 14a-single Oppositely disposed arm l-upstanding post le-channel in upper part of post and part of head l-enlarged head of post IS-studs )iQ-enlarged head of studs Ztl-the lengthened vertical post ZI--enlarged head on post 20 ZZ-channel in said post and head ZS-centrally bored semi-spherical bushing M-periphery of bushing ZS-washer on lower part of lengthened post .Z6-spring 261-conical spring 27-upper and lower tracks ZS-channels in upper and lower tracks Z9the embodiment of vane holder devoid of central post StB- cloth Vane Sal-hem of cloth vane 32-openings in hem 33-bar in hem of vane `Tali-channel in bar it-metal vane 36-orices in metal vane BB-blind sections CC--traverse cords DD-bead chains As depicted in FIG. l, one embodiment of the vane holders 5 comprises base or back 6 having a top 7, bottom 3, side walls 9 and end walls 10. Beneath bottom 8 are a pair of depending arms 11, spaced apart from each other and from one of the side walls 9, with their outer edges coincident with end walls 10 of the basel The outer ends of said arms 11 are abruptly right angled to form flanges 12 with a pair of flat palms 13, the outer surfaces of which may be rounded.

Oppositely and medially disposed with relation to arms 11 is a single depending arm 14, arranged in parallelism with the opposing pair of arms 11.

Extending vertically above base 6 is a cylindrical post 15 having an enlarged head 17 with a channel in the upper portion of the post and a portion of the head to afford the necessary resiliency or give, to permit fitting on to the post of semi-spherical bushing 23, centrally bored, its periphery denoted by 24. On the top 7 of the base and at opposite corners thereof are studs 1S provided With enlarged heads 19, for the attachment of bead chains DD and linking the associated vanes for oscillation to open and close the blind. The positioning of these studs at opposite corners of the top 7 enables complete closing of a unit of vertical blinds as well as opening, as shown in FIG. 6.

The vane holder 51 depicted at the bottom of FIG. 1 is fabricated with a central post 20 of greater length than post 15, also having an enlarged head 21, channeled as at 22. This embodiment carries bushing 23 and a spring 26 between washer 25 and said bushing, which serves to maintain the cloth louvre elements under tension, when the vane holders and 51 sustain a cloth vane between them with bushing 23 in the upper and lower channels 28 of tracks 27, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. And vanes fabricated of plastics may also be sustained by the vane holders of my invention. I may also employ a conical spring 261 and eliminate the washer 25.

The vane holders are preferably, though not necessarily, molded of nylon, Tellom Delron or other man-made materials having the requisite durability, resiliency, ilexibility and light weight which are inherent characteristics of these plastics, and their susceptibility to being molded under great pressure produces a vane holder or clip economical to manufacture. As those skilled in these materials will comprehend, the mold should be lleted to preclude the possibility of arms 11 being broken when the clip is manipulated. I may also employ other materials. The bars 33, channeled at 34, are inserted in the hems 31 of the cloth vanes 30, with openings 32 permitting the flanges 12 of arms 11 to engage the channeled bar when the clip is pressed down on the hem of the vane, with palms 13 clasping the bar is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. The resiliency of the arms 11 and 14 as well as the smooth plastic material of which it is fabricated allows instantaneous attachment and removal from the cloth vanes 30, removal only requiring turning the side wall 9 of the clip 5 to release the flanges from the bar, which can be slid out and the vane laundered, dusted and refreshed.

The vane holder 5 can be similarly removed from and attached to a metal vane, such as is depicted in FIG. l, shown for the purpose of illustrating the adaptability of my clip to any kind of free hanging vane-see FIGS. 4 and 5, as well as those vanes in which they are held under tension as shown in FIG. 3. The nylon or plastic bushing enables free horizontal oscillation of the vanes by the bead chains DD with conventional traverse cords CC for drawing and opening a bank of louvres. f

In FIGS. 4 and 5 are shown a third embodiment of` my vane holder in which the clip 29 is devoid of a central post, and the vane holder is utilized in a free hanging vane absent a lower track. The quick release clip 29 includes the essential elements including a back or base 6, top 7, bottom 8, side and end walls 9 and 1t), arms 11, llanges 12 with palms 13, the arm 14 in conjunction with palms 13 gripping bar 33-see FIG. 5.

To recapitulate, my vane holder is adaptable for use with Varying widths of vanes, a capital advantage, and enables the production of handsome, flexible, vertical blind installations for all kinds of windows for home and commercial buildings, and for partitions, screening walls, and for other purposes. The quick release and attachment facility of the clip from and to the louvres enables laundering and cleaning whenever the blind needs freshening. The semi-spherical bushing enables free travers- 4 ing of the vanes horizontally along the track.l The opposite positioning of the studs permits complete closing of the louvres upon manipulation of the bead chains. And a manifest advantage is the fact that molding the clip of nylon or man-made materials is extremely economical.

While I have illustrated and described my vane holder in use with one kind of vertical blind, I comprehend its employment in all manner of free hanging vertical blinds, as well as those in which the vanes are under tension, and it is obvious that structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the claims hereinafter.

I claim:

1. In combination with a fabric vane of a vertical blind, the vane having hems at opposite ends, channeled bars in each hem, a pair of openings in the hems, a vane holder detachably connected to the upper hem including:

(a) a base having a top and bottom (b) two resilient arms disposed vertically in parallelism beneath the bottom toward one side of the base having their bottom ends right angled inwardly and gripping the channeled bar of the upper hem.

(c) a single resilient arm beneath the bottom of the base in parallelism with the aforesaid pair of arms but medially thereof and spaced therefrom toward the opposite side (d) an upstanding cylindrical-like central post above the top of the base, said post having an enlarged head (e) a centrally bored semi-spherical bushing slidably mounted on the post having its rounded peripheral surface disposed toward the base (f) a pair of upstanding studs mounted on opposite corners of the base, the studs having enlarged heads.

2. In combination with a fabric vane of a vertical blind, the vane having hems at opposite ends, channeled bars in each hem, a pair of openings in the hems, a vane holder of molded plastic material detachably connected to the lower hem comprising:

(a) a base having a top and a bottom (b) two spaced apart resilient arms disposed vertically in parallelism with the bottom toward one side of the base having their outer ends right angled inwardly and gripping the channeled bar of the lower hem (c) a single resilient arm extending from the bottom in parallelism with the aforesaid pair of arms but medially thereof and spaced therefrom toward the opposite side of the bottom,

(d) an upstanding cylindrical-like post extending vertically from the top of the base, said post having an enlarged head (e) a centrally bored bushing slidably mounted on the post (f) a washer slidably mounted on the post (g) a spring on the post interposed between the bushing and the Washer (h) the vane holder adapted to be disengaged from the bar in the lower hem by manipulating the base to free the angled outer ends of the two resilient arms of paragraph b from the channeled bar.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Achler et al. Aug. 26, 1958 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A FABRIC VANE OF A VERTICAL BLIND, THE VANE HAVING HEMS AT OPPOSITE ENDS, CHANNELED BARS IN EACH HEM, A PAIR OF OPENINGS IN THE HEMS, A VANE HOLDER DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER HEM INCLUDING: (A) A BASE HAVING A TOP AND BOTTOM (B) TWO RESILIENT ARMS DISPOSED VERTICALLY IN PARALLELISM BENEATH THE BOTTOM TOWARD ONE SIDE OF THE BASE HAVING THEIR BOTTOM ENDS RIGHT ANGLED INWARDLY AND GRIPPING THE CHANNELED BAR OF THE UPPER HEM. (C) A SINGLE RESILIENT ARM BENEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE BASE IN PARALLELISM WITH THE AFORESAID PAIR OF ARMS BUT MEDIALLY THEREOF AND SPACED THEREFROM TOWARD THE OPPOSITE SIDE 